Custom Bicycle Stolen From Handicapped Man In San Francisco

San Francisco Police said this bicycle, custom built for a handicapped man, was stolen in the Hayes Valley neighborhood on June 7, 2012. The bicycle has a distinctive sponsor sticker on its side with the letters "AZSLODZ." (SFPD)

San Francisco Police said this bicycle, custom built for a handicapped man, was stolen in the Hayes Valley neighborhood on June 7, 2012. The bicycle has a distinctive sponsor sticker on its side with the letters "AZSLODZ." (SFPD)

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — San Francisco police are asking for the public’s help in finding a custom bicycle specially built for a handicapped man that was stolen in the Hayes Valley neighborhood Thursday morning.

Officers responded around 10 a.m. to a report of a burglary in the 200 block of Linden Alley, located between Hayes and Fell streets just west of Franklin Street.

The bicycle belongs to Krzystof Jarzebski, a double amputee from Poland. The former Navy commando lost his legs to cancer in 1991. Since then, Jarzebski has competed frequently on his bicycle, recently traveling 80 miles from his home in Lodz to the capital city of Warsaw.

The victim said that the item stolen was a hand-cranked bicycle, valued at $13,000, which was taken from the stairway area of the building, police said.

Investigators believe the theft took place between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday and that a cutting tool was allegedly used to gain access to the entryway of the building.

Police have released a photo of the bike, which has a distinctive sponsor sticker on its side with the letters “AZSLODZ.”

Jarzebski is involved in a charity bike ride across the country. He will be using a wheelchair to complete the tour, which he plans to begin from San Francisco City Hall on Friday.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the bicycle or a possible suspect is asked to call Sgt. Victoria Sullivan with the department’s Northern Station investigations team at (415) 614-3465.

People wishing to remain anonymous can call the department’s tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)